“The Lover” one of the three parts that make up Damon's new book In A Strange Room, which Penguin Books SA will be publishing next year, has been chosen for The O Henry Award. This is the only annual award, in the United States, given to short stories of exceptional merit.

Throughout the year, magazine editors across the United States and Canada, submit their issues to The O. Henry Prize Stories series editor, Laura Furman. From the multitude of stories submitted, the editor chooses twenty winners that stand out above the rest and up to fifteen additional pieces highlighted in the collection as the list of recommended stories. Each juror then reads the twenty winning stories in manuscript form, without knowledge of author names or publications. Without consulting one another, they each select their favourite and write a short essay about what led them to their choice.

The twenty winning stories are then published in an annual collection called PEN/ O. Henry Prize Stories. “The Lover” will be published in the PEN/ O. Henry Prize Stories 2010 which will be released in May next year.